Hold the Outrage on Politicians’ Ballot Measure Committees
“Candidates are increasingly using these committees as slush funds for unlimited contributions from special interests. They’re paying off lawmakers without technically violating the law. It’s disgusting.” — Kathay Feng, executive director of California Common Cause, a leading good-government advocacy group, as quoted by the Bay Area News Group We are supposed to be outraged by […]
SB 32 and AB 197 Need Amendments
(Editor’s note: Following is the statement issued by CalChamber President and CEO Allan Zaremberg following Governor Brown signing SB 32 and AB 197 into law) Taken together, SB 32 and AB 197, impose very severe caps on the emission of greenhouse gases in California, without requiring the regulatory agencies to give any consideration to the impacts […]
Neighborhood Integrity Initiatives’s Letter to Mayor Garcetti: Either Lead on Planning or Voters Will
(Editor’s Note from David Abel; on Wednesday, August 17, leaders of the Neighborhood Integrity Initiative and a representative array of community leaders met with Mayor Eric Garrett in his office to present a letter with detailed demands for long-promised development reform. The demands came with an ultimatum: Agree to the entire list—with enforceability mechanisms—by August 24, or NII will submit its […]
State Legislature Aids Business at End of 2015-2016 Session
Late on the night of Aug. 31, the California State Legislature wrapped up the 2015-2016 session. The end of the session contained a number of bright spots for the Los Angeles business community. Two bills were defeated that would have allowed Sacramento to usurp power from local boards. SB 522, then SB 1379 (both Mendoza) […]
Political Paradox? Prop. 59 asks Californians to condemn a big-money system long used here
Six years after Citizens United—the landmark U.S. Supreme Court decision that says corporations and unions have a 1st Amendment right to unlimited campaign spending—presidential candidates across the spectrum have condemned the campaign finance system it shaped. “Corrupt,” says Bernie Sanders. “Pernicious,” says Hillary Clinton. “A broken system,” says Donald Trump. The issue is getting extra attention […]